Alone
by MissMonet
Summary: Harry finds his long-lost sister in the form of a slayer. Not under Buffy x-overs because it's not her. "Til now, I always got by on my own. I never really cared until I met you. And now it chills me to the bone."
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I don't know own anything from the slayer or wizarding worlds. Just playing with them.

_This is my first fic y'all so be gentle. I know this is definately not an original idea but I just love reading these stories so much I decided to try and write one. I'm not really trying to follow the HP book storyline after the fifth one so if things don't line up right, I apologize._

Chapter One

The rain slid down the windows of the carriage as it rumbled past the dark forest. Even if Ava had wanted to see the world outside it wouldn't have been possible. The irony of this new chapter in her life starting with 'a dark and stormy night' amused her. Her old life had ended with the death of her watcher at the hands of the Bringers and her sudden jolt from lowly potential to actual slayer soon after. Her watcher, Jonah, had been like a father to her and had gone against the Council's orders to send her to Sunnydale saying that it meant certain death. She had begged him to let her go. Like most potential slayers, she had been taken from her family at birth by the Watcher's council and ever since she could remember, it had been drilled into her head that it was her destiny to fight against the forces of evil. Certain death was supposed to be the reward for her dedicated service in the good fight. She couldn't understand why after all his speeches about destiny and bravery he would make her turn tail and flee. His actions had probably saved her life knowing now what the other potentials had gone through in California and in the past month it had eaten away at Ava to know that not only was she a coward to her cause but she hadn't been able return his favor. Lord knows how they did it but the Bringers had found them over and over again and one time there had just been too many for her to take down. Jonah had trained and prepared her the best a watcher could but without being able to tap into her inner-slayerness yet, it had done him no good. As the still-red scar reaching from the top of her shoulder across and down her back could attest, she had barely escaped that last fight with her own life. Ava shifted uncomfortably in her seat as she thought about how little that life meant now that the one person she had ever cared about was gone and how the whole point to her existence up until now had been to become the slayer. The fact that she was one now was little comfort considering Jonah wasn't there to witness it and also that it had happened by default and she shared the title with about a fifty other girls around the world who hadn't already been sliced and diced by the Bringers.

The only other person in the carriage noticed her inability to sit still. "We're almost there," he reassured her with his deep voice, "I know you're tired but I'm sure Professor Dumbledore will expect to see you tonight."

"Im fine, Mr. Shacklebolt. Really." Studying the man across from her she couldn't help but reminisce about their meeting. After miraculously escaping with her life, Ava had tried to go back to the council headquarters in London only to find the once beautiful building had become a depressing burned-out wreck that harbored no hope of help. She knew the one place left to go was the one place Jonah had died to protect her from and she wasn't about to walk right into that lion's den and make his death all for nothing. She had been on the run ever since, haunted by the image of her watcher being cut down by the black-robed men without eyes. She shuddered every time she thought of all the blood. His blood, her blood and the bringers blood on her clothes and in hair. Sometimes she could still smell the copperyness of it as it had dried. The moment that she had come into her slayer powers had been the most depressing one of her life. It meant that the current slayer, the strongest one on record and the last wall of defense on the Hellmouth, had fallen and who knew how many after her had been called only to be killed soon after before the line reached her. That was it, the bad guys had won and being the marked woman she now was, it was only a matter of time until they killed her too. It wasn't until weeks later that someone finally did find her but it definitely wasn't who she had expected. If Kingsley Shacklebolt hadn't had his wand at the ready, she would have taken his head clean off with a well-placed round-house kick right there in that dark alley in Romania. "Stupify" was the last thing Ava had heard before everything went black. She had woken up in a hotel room quadruple-knotted to a chair and sitting across from the intimidatingly large man perched on the edge of the bed. Surprisingly, the first thought in her head was that that was the ugliest down comforter she had ever seen. Whoever thought that putting salmon pink and forest green together anywhere was a good idea was pure evil.

"I'm not going to harm you," he had told her, his voice being as deep as she thought it would be. "Can we just talk?"

Ava smirked in response, her wrists pulling against the ropes to no avail, "If this is how you always treat your guests, I doubt you have any friends. Normally people don't tie other people up in skeazy hotel rooms because they just want to talk but since you made some _really_ damn good knots, I suppose I have no choice. You say you're not going to hurt me and I actually believe you. I think if you had planned to harm or kill me, you would have done so already since you obviously had plenty of opportunity. So why don't we just skip the small-talk and you tell me what the hell is going on."

At first he had looked surprised and then a little amused but he sat back on the bed in a more comfortable position to begin. "My name is Kingsley Shacklebolt and I am here on behalf of Headmaster Dumbledore of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizadry." If Ava was surprised she didn't betray herself with her face so he continued, "I myself am a wizard and I used an elementary stunning spell freeze you and get you here. Dumbledore knows you're a slayer and he asked me to track you down-"

Ava quickly interrupted, "Wait, what? _A_ slayer. If he knew anything about slayers, he would know that I am THE slayer. As in the chosen ONE, the ONE and only, the ONE girl in all the world yada yada yada."

It was Kingsley's turn to look surprised, "You mean you don't know?"

Ava pursed her lips, "Don't know what? What could you possibly know about slayers that I don't?"

"That there isn't only one anymore. Powerful wiccan magics were used to ensure the line of the slayers by making every girl who could be, would be chosen right then. That's how the spread of evil out of California was stopped."

Ava let this sink in. She knew he was telling the truth. So far she had chalked up the fact that was still alive to dumb luck but now she knew it was because nothing was after her. It was over. No more running. She wasn't up against unstoppable evil anymore, just regular old vamps. She could finally be the slayer that Jonah had trained her to be. Jonah. She closed her eyes and pictured his face with the twinkling blue eyes and the fatherly smile. A wave of nausea spread over her when she realized if she could have only been able to protect him for one more week, he would still be here. Probably tied to the chair next to hers she thought, wryly.

Keeping her eyes down so Kingsley wouldn't see the tears forming in the corner of her eyes she asked, "So if there's slayers like... everywhere why does this Dumbledore need you to find me?"

"I didn't say there were slayers everywhere. By our count there's still only 54 identified slayers left in the world right now. Unfortunately a great number of them have been lost recently, but you are the only one who is also a witch. Please believe me when I say that the wizarding world is facing a great evil of it's own and we need your help... Ava, your family needs your help."

At the word 'family' Ava's head had snapped up. Her bright green eyes met Kingsley's dark brown ones. "Mr. Shacklebolt, please believe_me_ when I say that I'm in. One hundred and ten percent."

She knew Kinsley thought that the promise of family had been the deal clincher and it was easier to let him believe that than to explain to him the real reason that Ava had so quickly and earnestly accepted his offer: even though it was Jonah's devotion to her and fear for the life of his young charge and not his own that had caused them to flee, it didn't change the fact that they were traitors to their own cause pure and simple. She didn't know what all this talk about her being a witch was but she could recognize the handiwork of the Powers That Be when she saw it. They were giving her a chance to make her retribution. An atonement that would cleanse both their souls and make Jonah proud if he was somewhere looking down.

And that was how she had ended up here. A supposed witch sitting across from a wizard in a carriage being pulled by the freakiest looking horses she had ever seen and heading to a school she had never even heard of until yesterday so she could talk to the headmaster whose name made him sound like he belonged in a Tolkien novel. Kingsley didn't trust her enough to put his wand away when she was nearby but he had at least untied her for the journey.

The carriage slowed to a stop. "We're here," he unnecessarily announced before opening the door and stepping out into the downpour. He held out his hand to help her down but she completely ignored it. Ava was too busy staring up at the biggest castle she could have ever imagined. Realizing, she was too entranced to move, Kingsley grabbed her sleeve and pulled her behind him towards the ridiculously large double doors. "Geez, who walks into this place? Giants?"

"Sometimes," came the reply.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Harry was digging into his favorite foods as fast as he could on their second night back at school for their 6th year. He had missed everything about this place that he considered his real home while he was living with the Dursleys especially the food. His Aunt Petunia wasn't exactly known for her cooking or her generosity or anything for that matter and his uncle was worse than that. He was just glad to be back in the company of the people he most cared about. He was half-heartedly listening to Hermione ramble on about her families' Australian vacation over the summer. So far since they'd been back that's all she'd talked about and while he had genuinely shown interest at first, he could only hear so much about how cute the koala bears were before his mind started to wander. He glanced up at Ron and could tell he wasn't listening at all. That was the annoying thing about Ron: he never listened. He had tried to get information out of him last night about any new developments with the Order of the Phoenix but Ron didn't have any news and only wanted to talk about how great Quidditch was going to be this year. He made a mental note to bug Ginny for information later. If anybody had been on the lookout in the Weaseley household, it would have been her, plus it would give him an excuse to talk to her without alerting Ron to any suspicious behavior. Suddenly right beside his plate a small, white envelope appeared out of nowhere. A red wax seal with a phoenix symbol held it shut. Hermione had stopped mid-sentence when it appeared. "The house-elves must have delivered it from Dumbledore. Hurry and open it Harry!" she whispered, not being able to conceal the excitement in her voice.

He quickly reached for it and used his knife to tear open the end.

_Harry,_

_Please come to my office as soon as you have finished your meal. I have important information that concerns you._

_Albus Dumbledore_

_P.S. Please bring one of those delightful fruit tarts as well._

Hermione, who had been reading silently over his shoulder, grabbed one of the requested tarts off a platter, quickly wrapped it in a napkin and stuffed it into his hand. "What do you think he wants?" Harry tried to ask her through a mouthful of food. Dumbledore was always so secretive that he was the last person Harry expected to get his news from.

"I don't know but the sooner you get up there, the sooner you'll find out, right?" Hermione said in an exasperated tone, obviously annoyed that that idea hadn't occurred to Harry already. He knew that Hermione wasn't rushing him along purely for his benefit. She was dying to know why Dumbledore hadn't appeared at the teacher's table for dinner along with the other professors tonight like usual and the simple note had only increased her desire to get to the bottom of it.

Harry pulled himself out of the picnic style table. "I'll meet you in the common room after I'm done," he said over his shoulder as he left. Nobody else in the hall looked up from their dinner and conversations as he went. There was far too much for the wizards and witches to catch eachother up on.

Ron looked up from stuffing food in his mouth as he finally realized something was going on, "Oi! Where's Harry going? His plate his practically full! Do you think he's going to finish that biscuit?" he asked as he reached across the table to stab it with his fork.

Hermione rolled her eyes and tried to go back to eating her own dinner but she knew she was too full of burning curiosity to get anything else down. "Ron, hurry up and finish. I want to make sure we're waiting for Harry when he gets back to the tower. There's no way I'll sleep tonight if I don't find out what Dumbledore had to tell Harry."

Meanwhile, Harry hurried through the halls of Hogwarts toward where he knew the entrance to Dumbledore's office stood. He didn't know how many other students actually knew where it was but he liked to think he was one of few. As he stood in front of the stone phoenix, it dawned on him that he didn't know the password. He exhaled a large breath that he didn't know he had been holding and went to reach for the note thinking there might be a clue on it. Then he realized he was already holding the clue. "Fruit tart." The sculpture rolled out of the way, revealing the hidden staircase. He wasted no time in making his way up the dark passageway to enter the spacious office. Besides the small dimly glowing orb floating near the ceiling that the headmaster was using for a lamp the only other light came from the massive fireplace. The warm firelight caused the many strange objects in the room to cast long, almost menacing shadows around the room.

"Ah, there you are Harry. I didn't think you would come so quickly but I should have guessed Miss Granger wouldn't have let you finish your dinner. Is that for me?" Professor Dumbledore asked, motioning to the napkin in Harry's hand.

"What? Oh yeah…" Harry reached across the desk to hand him the tart and then sat down in one of the plushly stuffed chairs. Not wanting to beat around the bush with small talk Harry decided to just be straight with the headmaster hoping that they would skip any questions about his summer break. "Professor, what is the information you have for me? Is it about the Order of the Phoenix?"

"No Harry, this doesn't involve the Order. It is something else entirely. To put it simply I have been keeping something from you for a very long time," Dumbledore stated bluntly. He set the tart on the desk as if he had forgotten about it. Harry's interest was more than piqued but this didn't sound like it was going to be good news. He took a steadying deep breath and leaned forward in the chair to show that he was ready to hear whatever the professor had to say. Dumbledore continued, "It's something that I didn't know if I would ever tell you but recent events in the magical world have finally made me able to do so. I have been wondering for the past weeks how best to tell you and I have decided it would be best if you just saw for yourself. Harry, please bring the pensieve over and put it on my desk. We're going to take a little trip."

Harry got up out of the chair to oblige and opened the cabinet where he knew the stone basin would be sitting. Putting both hands under the sides he lifted it gently and lugged it over to the large desk, careful not to spill any of the water.

Harry watched, his mind burning with curiosity as Dumbledore lifted his wand toward his ear and pulled back. A long, silvery trail following after it which he then gently let float into the black water until the bowl swirled with misty light. He looked up to Dumbledore who nodded at him silently and together they leaned over toward the water.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Harry was standing in what appeared to be a muggle hospital room. He'd never been in one but he'd seen them on TV a few times when his aunt and uncle were watching it and everything seemed pretty standard: pastel blue walls, multi-colored linoleum floor, harsh, yellow lighting and privacy curtains around what he assumed was the bed. He could hear low murmuring coming from behind the curtain that sounded like it probably a man and a woman. He looked to his left to see Dumbledore standing by the wall and motioning Harry to come join him. As he went to comply a second, slightly younger looking Dumbledore walked through the door dressed in what he probably thought was normal muggle clothing but was actually a pair of mismatched slacks and jacket that were a little too small for him and proceeded to close the door behind him.

"Lily? James?" He called into the room. The murmuring stopped abruptly and the curtain was pulled back to reveal Harry's father.

"Albus! Come look," he said, obviously excited about something. He pulled the curtain back the rest of the way and there was Harry's mother looking exhausted and radiant at the same time with her flushed cheeks and her red hair in a messy bun.

"Aren't they beautiful?" she asked softly.

It was then that Harry noticed there was not one baby in Lily's arms but two. He gasped so loudly that he actually looked to see if anyone had noticed but of course they hadn't, he was only an intruder on a memory he reminded himself. "Professor, this can't be right. My parents only had one child."

"Wrong Harry, your parents only had one child that anyone but I knew about. Keep watching." He urged.

The younger Dumbledore was patting James on the back and congratulating the couple on their beautiful children. "How long do you have?" He asked them.

At the question, the atmosphere in the room changed and tears began to streak down Lily's face as she looked down at one of the babies. The reply came from James, "They should be here any minute. Since we don't have much time will you do the honor of taking our family photo please, Albus?" He handed Dumbledore a camera and sat down on the bed next to his still crying wife and took the closest baby out of her arms so they were each holding one. They both arranged their quiet offspring so that their faces could be seen by the lens and Dumbledore took a few steps back to snap a few pictures.

Harry took a few steps closer so he could get a better look at the little faces. He immediately recognized his own small face in the arms of James but the babies weren't identical and the other baby looked like it might have his mother's face shape. It was also awake and squirming silently. "Dumbledore, is that a girl?" He asked.

"Yes, Harry. That is your twin sister."

The younger Dumbledore set the camera on a bureau. "What did you name her?"

Lily smiled through her tears, "Ava. It means life. I'm hoping it might bring her some luck and she can live long enough to come back to us."

Harry was so confused. Why wouldn't his sister live? What was wrong with her? Before he could voice his questions, the door opened again and two men dressed in nice blue suits walked in. One was decades younger than the other and he was the one to talk with an American accent, "I'm so sorry to have to do this to you. I can only imagine how hard it must be to give up your child, even for the greatest cause in the world. " There was no introductions made so apparently his parents already knew who these people were. The man's blue eyes seemed so sincere to Harry that he knew he meant it, "however you can rest assured that I will guard your daughter with my life and teach her everything she needs to know to be a strong woman and an even stronger slayer." He moved toward the bed and Harry watched as his mom and dad kissed his sister on the forehead and a fresh batch of tears fell from Lily's eyes as she reluctantly passed the baby into his arms. As he accepted the little bundle he asked, "Did you decide to name her or have you left it up to the Watcher's Council?"

"Ava," James could barely choke out the words through his own grief, "Her name is Ava."

The man pulled the blanket back so he could see the baby's face and smiled. "Hello Ava. My name is Jonah. You and I are going to be best friends." Ava made no noise and continued to stare blankly up at him. Then the man motioned to his partner and they turned to go.

"Wait!" his mother called out frantically. Jonah turned back with one hand on the door that his silent partner had already walked out of. Lily begged, "Please, please make sure she knows how much we love her and that we didn't want to give her up."

"I promise," Jonah looked at them a second more before turning around and walking out, letting the door fall shut behind him with a soft click.

Lily burst into sobs and James put one arm around her in silent comfort. He was barely holding it together himself. As if Harry's baby-self knew what had just been taken away from his new family, he woke up and began to make the soft strained cry of a newborn.

Younger Dumbledore cleared his throat before intruding on the terrible moment, "Lily, James, I am terribly sorry about little Ava. Would you still like me to do what you asked me here to do?"

James looked to Lily who nodded her head emphatically, "Yes, please Albus. I couldn't live every day knowing that my little girl is out there somewhere fighting for her life all the time and there's nothing I can do to help her. I just couldn't take it!"

Young Dumbledore nodded his head in sympathy, "I understand," he assured her as he removed his wand from inside his jacket.

"Don't forget to take the camera with you when you go, Albus. I think that would be a little confusing," James sighed and then added, "I think we're ready, right Lil?" Lily nodded her agreement.

Young Dumbledore waved his wand in a way that Harry had never seen before "Aletho memen," he said with a flourish and light blue sparks shot towards the little family. He quickly put his wand away before they could recover and when they did the mood in the room changed instantly to a more cheerful one.

"Well Albus, old man, what do you think of my brand new son?" James asked jovially. Lily was looking into Harry's face with a big grin but the tears she had just been shedding had left track marks down her cheeks.

"He's beautiful James," the other Dumbledore replied, "How about I get a picture of the happy family?" He reached for the camera as Lily and James squeezed closer together, their arms wrapped around little Harry and beaming smiles on their faces.

Harry felt a hand on his arm and he knew that the real Dumbledore was letting him know it was time to go. Reluctantly, he left his parents bedside and let himself be drawn out of the memory.


	4. Chapter 4

_**notes: **Thanks Apachep for your positive feedback. It encouraged me to write another chapter. :)_

Chapter 4

Back in Dumbledore's office the atmosphere was chilly despite the warmth from the fire. "What was that?" Harry demanded, all politeness forgotten with his desire to know more.

"Harry, please take a seat. I'll tell you everything."

"I'd prefer to stand," Harry stated as he crossed his arms over his chest and waited for the explanations to begin.

Dumbledore sighed and moved to take his own seat behind the desk. "You'll have to excuse me for taking my own suggestion. I'm old you know. Now please, no questions until I'm done. It will be easier that way." After he was sufficiently settled, the story of Ava Potter began, what little he knew of it. "Before your parents even knew that your mother was pregnant they received a visit from the two men you saw in the memory. Jonah and Malcolm, I believe was the older man's name. They explained to your parents that your mother was carrying the possible future of the vampire slayer line… a girl. Vampire slayers are always girls so there could be no doubt. The two men were from an organization that was known as the Watcher's Council. Somehow, they have the ability to locate future vampire slayers, 'potentials' is what they call them. I don't know exactly how they do it as the council is very secretive about what goes on in their world just as we go to such great lengths to keep our world hidden from muggles. I suspect that since vampire slayer potentials inherit so much power that they must emit some kind of magical energy as soon as they come into existence and the council is usually able to locate them that way. Of course, your parents were quite taken aback by this revelation since they didn't even know they were expecting a baby and they were curious to hear these men out. Jonah and Malcolm told your parents that a long time ago, before there was wizards and witches, many evil beings roamed the earth and made humans into their prey. A group of very strong men used a powerful magic very different from ours to create a champion for the humans… one girl with the strength to take on and defeat that evils of the world, the vampire slayer. Unfortunately, they only had enough magic in them to generate enough power for one girl so they had to make sure it didn't die with her. As one slayer dies, the next one is called, usually in her early or mid-teen years and when she dies, the next one is called and so on, do you understand?"

"Yes," Harry finally sank into the chair behind him. "But if they don't get their powers until they are teenagers, why did they come take Ava away as soon she was born?"

"That's a good question. When those men created they slayer, they also became her teachers. Just because she has supernatural abilities doesn't mean the slayer automatically knows how to use them. She needs a guide to train her to harness her powers so she can fight the most effectively, watch over her and also, to explain the heritage of the line so she can understand what she is fighting for and maybe to learn from past slayer's mistakes. A 'watcher', if you will. Malcolm, had been a watcher for many years and then he became a teacher of future watchers. Jonah was his apprentice and Ava was the potential slayer that Jonah was to protect and train in the event that the slayer line was passed on to her. The watcher's council had decided that the earlier in life that they acquired a potential, the longer that potential had to learn and hopefully that knowledge would give them a chance for a longer life as the slayer. They explained all this to your parents and also how they had to take potential slayers away from their families as the powerful energy of the slayer tends to draw vampires and other evil entities towards it. James and Lily understood that as long as they kept Ava away from her calling that they would be putting her, themselves and any other children they had in constant danger. Jonah and Malcolm left and said they would give your parents a month to think about this information and then they would return. At first, your parents thought they could handle it, they were wizards after all, capable of defending themselves, but when they found out they weren't just having one baby, but two, they decided that it would be selfish of them to risk your life along with theirs and that Ava should go into the capable hands of the watchers. It was a heartbreaking decision for both of them, as you saw, and your parents decided they needed my help. One evening, when your mother was very near her due date, they called me to their house for dinner and explained everything to me. I wasn't completely unaware of the existence of such a creature as the slayer, there were rumors. Even now, there are rumors. In fact, I believe you covered vampires in your third year here at Hogwarts and your DADA book mentioned a possible "society" dedicated to the disposal of vampires, am I correct?"

Harry managed to look somewhat sheepish, "I don't remember, professor."

Dumbledore gave a half-smile, "Well, I'm sure Miss Granger will and she can happily fill you in. In any case, your parents called to ask a favor of me. They wanted me to erase the knowledge of their daughter from their memories. They thought it would be unfair to you for them to bring that kind of melancholy into your home, especially when it would do them no good to worry about her every day. One thing that Malcolm and Jonah had been sure to tell your parents was that if a potential managed to reach her 18th birthday without being called, then she would no longer be in line to become a slayer and the Watcher's Council would release her with the knowledge of where her family was. So, I used a spell that I could easily undo and I took the picture of all four of you together so I would have it in case your parents were to ever get their daughter back." He pulled an envelope simply labeled "The Potters" out of his robes and handed it to Harry who opened it with slightly shaking hands. Inside was the picture he had seen the younger Dumbledore take of his complete family. His mother and father managing to look happy and sad at the same time, himself fast asleep and his sister with her eyes wide open and little arms twitching inside the yellow blanket. Every once in a while his parents would look down at their children lovingly and then look back at the camera.

"But I'm only 16, why are you telling me this now? She couldn't have been released yet. She's only 16 too," he added more for his own benefit as his tired brain tried to process all the overwhelming information it had just been given. "Has she been called?" Harry's head snapped up with his next thought and his face paled, "Has she been killed?"

"No, Harry, she's very much alive," Dumbledore was quick to reassure him. Harry had endured enough loss in his short life, it would have been cruel to tell him that he had had a sister only to let him know that she had died. "But she has been called. In fact, a very interesting thing has happened. You see, someone figured out that just because the original men who created the slayer only had enough magic for there to be one, that didn't mean that there wasn't enough magic in the world now for the rules to change. From now on, every potential will skip the potential part and be born with their slayer powers already in place. They have effectively created a small slayer army all around the world. Now that there will no longer be just one I think the fight against evil will be leaning heavily in favor of the good. Your sister will more than likely still fight, after all, it's what she was brought up to do. However, I believe she will now have the freedom to pick and choose her own battles and I've invited her here to help our cause. And to meet the only family she has left."

Harry looked incredulously at the older man, "My sister is going to slay Lord Voldemort?"

"Well, I don't know about that. But I think she could definitely help us out and Hogwarts could help her out as well. Your sister is a witch as well as a slayer and I think it's time she learned that side of herself."

"So, she's coming here?" Harry asked. "When?"

"I sent Kingsley to track her down a week ago and he's finally located her. He informed me that they should be arriving late tonight. I must tell you Harry, that even though I know Ava will be physically stronger than anyone you've ever met, including Hagrid, I don't know how she's holding up mentally and emotionally. You see, there is much more to the story of how and why all the potentials received their slayer powers at once and unfortunately, it involved some very dark magic and many tragic deaths but I don't think it's necessary at this very moment to tell you about it. It's late and you need to be getting back to your tower. I'm sure Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley are dying of curiosity. I know you will not be able to keep such a thing from them but I must tell you that for now, your sister's true identity, including her relationship to you. must remain a secret."

Harry could barely keep the excitement out of his voice, "I understand but when do I get to meet her?"

"You will meet her tomorrow. She and I will be having a lengthy chat tonight. I already have plans for her fitting in here at Hogwarts and they need to be implemented but after we get everything sorted out, I will send you an owl. I'm sure she will be just as anxious to meet you."

Harry checked his watch and got to his feet. He hadn't realized how long he had been there. It was almost 10:00 and he knew Hermione and Ron would be in the common waiting for him while the other Gryffindors slowly drifted off to their beds.

Dumbledore stopped him, "I have something for you to give to Miss Granger that I'm sure she will find interesting." He pulled a leather-bound book out of a drawer in his desk. Harry took it from him as he bid his headmaster good night but it wasn't until he was bag in the dimly lit hallways of the castle that he bothered to take a closer look at it. The brown leather cover was blank but inside on the first page was written in black ink, 'The Journal of Watcher Rupert Giles, Volume One.'


	5. Chapter 5

**note:** _I've decided that Ava looks like actress, Zooey Deschanel. If you don't know who that is, here is an address to a picture:_

Chapter 5

It was obvious to Ava that the occupants of the castle had long since retired to bed. The only sound she heard was their own footfalls echoing through the dark, vacant hallways. His heavy steps thudded hollowly while hers were a light staccato as she struggled to keep up with his long strides. Her messenger style bag, which would have been too heavy a burden for any other girl her size, slid lightly against her hip as she walked. Kingsley had offered to carry it but she didn't want the weight of it to betray the fact that she had loaded it with her favorite weapons. Shiny daggers, silver-tipped arrows and dense wooden stakes lay wrapped and hidden inside the articles of the only clothes she had. He had seemed satisfied with the ease at which she had scooped it up and hung it across her body and didn't push the issue. She rolled her eyes as they turned yet another corner. It seemed like there would be no end to the stone hallways that all looked the same. She could tell there were pictures of all sizes lining the corridors as the candlelight glinted off the golden frames but they didn't give off enough light to actually see what the artists had depicted. Ava thought grimly that if she got lost in this huge castle she might starve to death before anyone found her and she redoubled her efforts to stay close to the large man in front of her just as he made his abrupt stop at their apparent destination. She slammed right into his back causing him to take one steadying step forward and her to bounce off of him and land directly on her backside.

"Alright there?" Kingsley asked as he turned around and offered her a hand up.

"All good," Ava replied, accepting it. "We're here?" she questioned. They had stopped in front of what looked to be an eagle statue. She rubbed her aching tailbone while she looked around for a door but didn't see one.

"Fruit tart," Kingsley whispered to the statue. Just when Ava had decided that this man was crazy the bird moved aside and stairs were in its' place. "This is where we part. Dumbledore's office is right up those steps and he's expecting you. I'm sure we'll be in each other's company again, Ava, but it was nice to meet you just in case."

Ava stopped trying to see up the staircase to say goodbye but when she turned towards him he was already gone and she turned her attention back in the direction she was suppose to go. As there was no railing she put one steadying hand on the cold brick walls and made her ascent. Soon enough she reached the top and could then do nothing but stand and stare at the grandeur of the room in front of her.

While she was distracted by his office Dumbledore took the opportunity to study the little slayer. Her attire consisted of a simple pair of blue jeans, sneakers and a small black t-shirt which she had thrown a grey zip-up sweatshirt over to guard against the chilly night air. She was smaller than he thought she would be, especially since Harry was so tall. They shared the same very dark hair and large eyes that he knew would be green before she had even got close enough for him to see. But other than that, there was hardly a resemblance. Harry looked so much like James and she looked so much like Lily that if he had seen her on the street he wouldn't have guessed that they were related. He noted this with relief. He was now satisfied that the cover story he had thought up to keep her true identity a secret and explain her arrival at Hogwarts would be believable. "You must be Ava. You're a hard person to track down, young lady," he greeted her.

Ava had jumped at the sound of his voice but quickly recovered to pay attention to the old man in front of her who looked like he had stepped right out of a Camelot novel. "Good to know. That's what I was going for," she was hoping her breezy answer wouldn't give away how out of place she felt in her new surroundings.

Dumbledore invited her to sit down in one of the plush, red chairs across from his own seat and she gratefully did so. "I'm Professor Dumbledore and I'm headmaster here at the Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"It's nice to meet you, Professor." Ava was still slightly distracted by all the interesting items strewn about the office but his next words caught her full attention.

"Ah, but this is not our first time meeting Ava Potter. That was on the day you were born."

Potter? She had never known her last name. To be honest, she had never known anything about where she came from. All Jonah had ever told her was that she had nice parents who were sad to give her up and they had chosen her name. She briefly wondered if they were in the castle. Kingsley had said that her family had needed her. "So you know my parents?"

Dumbledore sighed, "I knew your parents. They were wonderful, brave people."

'Well that answers that,' she thought. Ava barely felt a twinge of sadness at the loss of parents she had never known. Her training had been very specific in regards to family and friends: you don't have them. Feelings and love were a hindrance that only got people killed and made the job of being strong harder. She had learned how true that was with the death of Jonah. She couldn't help but wonder why her dead parents would need her.

The headmaster continued, "I also knew the man who murdered them and that's why I've asked you here." It took half an hour for Dumbledore to give her the back-story of Lord Voldemort and all of his evil deeds. When it came to the part about the death of her parents she listened a little more closely. "After your father was killed your mother ran to Harry's room and tried to protect him but Voldemort used the killing curse on her and then moved onto him. However, her death had created a shield of sorts and the curse he flung at Harry bounced back and destroyed Voldemort instead."

"Who's Harry?" Ava asked while she anxiously twisted a piece of her long, dark hair around her finger. It was a nervous habit that in recent months had frequently annoyed Jonah.

Dumbledore was slightly taken aback with how little she apparently knew about her own life. "Well, he's your brother. Your twin, to be more exact. Your watcher never told you?"

She was quick to defend her only friend, "No, he must have been busy telling me other things. Like how not to die." Ava crossed her arms like a petulant child and cast her eyes towards the window.

Dumbledore wondered where this sudden bitterness came from but knew that now was not the time to approach it. "I apologize. Of course you have had other things to focus on."

She seemed to relax when she looked back at him but her arms stayed crossed, "No, I apologize Professor. Jonah was a good watcher and I just don't want anybody to think otherwise."

Her use of past tense words quickly solved that mystery and he chose to leave the topic of Jonah alone. "I understand. Yes, Harry is your twin and he is still alive. In fact, he goes to school here and I've just told him about you tonight. He's very excited to meet you."

Again he got a response he wasn't expecting. Ava's posture had tensed up and she looked like a rabbit about to get caught by a wolf. "I don't think that's really necessary. I'm here to help you because killing the bad guy is what I'm meant to do but I don't want to put a big target on Harry. Being close to me gets people hurt, or worse, killed. And I don't understand who you want me to go all fatal attraction on if the bad guy already cursed himself to death."

The headmaster couldn't understand Ava's odd attitude. He had thought she would be thrilled to get to know the only family she had left. He knew Harry was. They had both been denied true family for so long he had thought the reunion would be a blessing for both of them. "Unfortunately, that's not the case. Voldemort's curse didn't kill him, it just made him disappear for a while but now he's returned and the big target, as you say, is already on Harry. Voldemort and his followers have come very close to killing Harry a couple times in the past few years but thankfully Harry is either very skilled, very lucky or both. So you can see that your presence here can only help your brother by giving him added protection." He saw she was about to argue with him so he quickly continued on and changed the subject, "There is another reason I wanted to bring you to Hogwarts. Your parents, may they rest in peace, were both very skilled wizards. As is Harry. As, I suspect, are you. You've learned how to be a slayer and now that the business of fighting evil will no longer be expected to rest entirely on your shoulders, I think it's time you learned how to be a witch as well. Would you be interested in that?" He could tell by her rapt attention that he had her.

She looked thrilled but doubtful, "You mean like Mr. Shacklebolt does? With the wand and the hocus pocus and everything. You think I can do that?"

Dumbledore's bright blue eyes twinkled, "I think you could do that very well. You just need to be taught. And being a headmaster of a school dedicated to teaching magic, I just happen to know a few people who can do that." The dark circles under Ava's green eyes hadn't escaped his scrutiny and now that he was finally satisfied he had gotten her interest in something at Hogwarts he thought it was time to call it a night. "You must be very tired Ava. We can discuss this more tomorrow. I'm sorry but I already promised Harry he was going to meet you and he is quite looking forward to it. Will you?"

"Yes headmaster. I suppose it's unavoidable." Again, her lack of enthusiasm bewildered him but at least she had agreed and that was enough for now.


	6. Chapter 6

**_notes:_**

_Navygirlz2003: Thanks for letting me know about the Heart song. I must say I'm relieved. I heard someone sing it on American Idol and when I looked it up on Itunes it was under Celine Dion. It's good to know my taste in music hasn't deteriorated as much as I thought._

_Zafaran: I do have some plans for Snape and though I don't know where exactly I'm going with this story yet I would like him to be a key player. He's one of my favorite characters in the books and Alan Rickman does an amazing job playing him. Thanks for reviewing so positively._

_Apachep: Thank you for reviewing again. This is my first story but I'm quickly realizing that positive feedback is a very good motivator so you've been helping me out._

**Chapter 6**

"What do you mean a sister? How can you have a sister?"

Harry was back in the Gryffindor common room and true to their word his friends had waited up for him. They were the only ones up this late but they were still keeping their voices down just to be cautious. He had just finished telling them the exciting news and it was Ron who had voiced his surprise. Harry tossed the picture of his family onto the table they were sitting around and the other two scooted closer together so they could both study it. "Yeah, a twin no less. Apparently she was taken away from my mom and dad at birth because she's some sort of superhero called a vampire slayer and she's suppose to fight evil but she had to be trained. I don't know… to be quite honest I was still in shock when Dumbledore was talking and I only understood about half of it."

Hermione rolled her eyes and sighed, "Trust one of you to tune out during one of the most important conversation of your lives. I do recall reading something about that when we were studying vampires. I'll have to get in my old DADA books and read it again though."

"Oh yeah!" Harry took the book out of his robes and handed it to her. "Dumbledore gave me this to give to you." He watched Hermione investigate the first few pages. "Do you know what it is?" he questioned her.

Her fingers brushed lightly over the gold lettering. "No, I've never heard of Rupert Giles but he must have something to do with your sister or he wouldn't have given it to me."

Harry bristled a little, "Then why didn't he just give it to me?"

"Or me?" Ron piped up.

Hermione gave a derisive snort, "Do you really want me to answer that?"

Harry could tell by the way she kept fingering the pages that she couldn't wait to find out what the book contained. "I'm suppose to meet her tomorrow but until then there's not much I can tell you." Even though they were his best friends and he told them almost everything, he didn't feel like going into detail about seeing the Watcher's take away his sister. It seemed like a private moment that should stay between his family and Dumbledore. "We should probably call it a night."

"Right. See you two in the morning then," Hermione gushed as she jumped out of her seat and took off up the girl's staircase with her new book.

The two boys watched her go and Ron took some coins out of his pocket and tossed them onto the table. "Ten knuts says she stays up all night reading and falls asleep in her scrambled eggs again."

Harry pushed the shiny currency back at him, "Keep your money, mate. I don't take losing bets."

* * *

Ron could hear the faint 'tap tap tap' sound coming from the window near his head but his warm bed was so comfortable he didn't want to move. It felt like he had just fallen asleep and the pleasant dream he had been having was still hovering on the edge of his mind ready for him to sink back into it but the longer the little noise persisted, the harder it was to ignore. With a groan Ron pulled himself away from his pillow and rose to greet the owl. He briefly wondered what he had done wrong because surely only a howler from his mother would arrive this early in the morning. Then he remembered the conversation with Harry last night and began to move as fast as his still-sleeping limbs would allow him. Pushing back the curtain he could see the sun just rising over the snow-tinged mountains in the distance and he knew from it's low position in the sky that breakfast wouldn't even be served for at least another hour. He didn't have time to admire the view because the little brown barn owl sitting on the ledge began to tap the window faster when he appeared. "Alright! Alright! Keep your feathers on." Ron unlatched the window and reached his hand out for the note in its' beak. The small owl gave him one very reproachful look for making it wait before taking flight in the direction of the owlery. He quickly read the brief note from Dumbledore before going to shake Harry awake. "Come on, Harry. Dumbledore wants to see us in his office. You, me and Hermione. Your sister is probably there. Get up!"

They managed to get dressed and out the door without waking any of their dorm mates and met Hermione down in the common room. She had obviously dressed quickly and her fluffy hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail. The boys were surprised that she had even bothered to put on new clothes at all since the black circles under her eyes suggested that Ron had been right about the lack of sleep. She was standing with her arms crossed and her hip out in a pose that suggested they had made her wait too long. "Took you long enough," she admonished them.

"Sorry 'Mione. The owl must have gotten lost." Ron lied with a shrug. The look she gave clearly stated that she didn't believe him but she didn't push the issue and followed Harry out the door. He seemed to be on a mission and didn't waste time talking to either of them, just led the way to Dumbledore's office with quick, purposeful strides and within minutes they were making their way up the staircase.

Upon entering the room they realized there were more people in it then any of them had expected. Harry saw the headmaster of course but he also saw Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape. Then in the chair farthest from him he saw the back of a head with the same hair color as his own and his heart started pounding so hard he could hear the blood pumping in his ears. They were all having an intense conversation as if introductions had already been made and when Dumbledore saw them he stood, "Ah, here they are. Ava I would like you to meet Harry Potter and his inseparable friends, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. Harry, this is your sister, Ava Potter." It seemed like slow motion to Harry as he watched the dark haired figure stand up and turn towards him. It was like looking in a mirror when her bright green eyes met his own but he quickly noticed that besides their hair color that was where the similarities seemed to end. He had greedily stared at enough pictures of his parents to see his mother so clearly in much of his sister's other features.

"Blimey Harry, I'll gladly let you date my sister if I can date yours," Ron whispered behind him as he checked out Harry's sister but he was quickly rewarded by a sharp elbow to the side from Hermione.

Ava's expression was blank as she made a couple steps forward and reached out her hand but without thinking Harry closed the gap between them and threw his arms around her with a big grin. "It's so great to meet you. You have no idea how many times over the years I had wished I had a brother or a sister and now here you are. Well, there was Sirius but we weren't really related and the Weasley's have been like a family to me but you're my real family, you know? Isn't it fantastic?" He was rambling but he couldn't help it. He couldn't possibly have known that he was giving Ava the first hug of her relatively short but tough life. Her body stiffened up completely at the unexpected contact and both arms had clamped to her sides. In his enthusiasm her reaction went unnoticed to Harry but it didn't escape the rest of the people in the room, especially Ron and Hermione who exchanged worried looks.

"How about we all take a seat and I will tell you the plan that I've made for Ava here at our school," Dumbledore requested quickly to cut the tension that was settling into the room. Harry reluctantly let Ava go and she quickly ducked back into her seat while the trio occupied the last three empty chairs in the room. "Now, as you three well know since I couldn't find a suitable teacher for Defense Against the Dark Arts this year, I have asked Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall to split the duty of teaching it as well as their respective subjects and I have no doubt that they will do a fantastic job." Snape's face remained impassive but McGonagall gave a small nod, pride etched on her face. He continued, "I would like Ava to fit in as an 'apprentice professor' in the field of Defense Against the Dark Arts, a subject she already knows plenty about. We've had apprentice professors at Hogwarts before so you know they sit in on classes to observe the teaching styles of other professors before they go looking for their own jobs. This will allow Ava to discreetly learn magic and it would seem to outsiders that she is being groomed to take over the position herself in years to come."

Something seemed to occur to Ron , "So an apprentice professor is basically a glorified 8th year student. Who _willingly_ does extra years of school?"

"Some people happen to like school, Ron." Hermione informed him snippily.

"Yeah, crazy people," he replied.

Harry didn't say anything, he was too busy staring at his brand new sister who was busy trying to not to make eye contact with him by keeping her gaze trained on Dumbledore. The headmaster could see this argument could quickly become out of control, "Ron brings up a wonderful point."

Ron looked pleased, "I do?"

"He does?" Hermione asked, perplexed.

"An apprentice professor is in the unique position of being somewhere in between a student and a teacher. Ava will be able to fraternize with the other students as well as the teachers since apprentices usually begin straight out of graduation and she can easily pass for eighteen years of age. It will not seem odd that she associates with you three or any other student whenever she so chooses and also she will be able to have secret teaching sessions with the Defense Against the Dark Arts instructors without arousing suspicion."

Snape cut in quickly, "I will not! She can sit in on my classes as long as she remains silent but I will not teach her how to be a witch. She should have learned that a long time ago. I have far too much to do this year without having to baby-sit another insolent Potter child."

Ava jumped out of her seat, "You think I'm insolent? You don't even know me. I can show you insolent though." She started to advance on Snape with a murderous look in her eye. He stood up out of his own seat, whipped his wand out of his robes and pointed it at her menacingly. Ava stopped in her tracks only 2 feet away from him. "Get that stick out of my face before I break it in half."

"I'd like to see you try," he sneered back at her.

The trio had been closely watching the exchange like a volleyball match. Harry looked surprised, Hermione looked horrified and Ron was clearly delighted that somebody had dared stand up to his snarling professor.

"Enough!" Dumbledore smacked his hand down on the wooden desk. "I want both of you to sit back down in your seats." The pair continued their stare down competition but they grudgingly obliged. "Miss Potter, Severus Snape is a professer here and as such deserves your respect. I will not have you threatening him." Before Snape could say that he had hardly felt threated by the tiny, wandless girl, the headmaster continued, "Severus, Ava is a guest here at the castle and a mighty ally, I expect you to treat her as such. I would think that you of all people would understand the importance of not judging a person so quickly. As far as you being too busy to help Ava with her studies, I imagine you would have much more free time to do so if you were only teaching one subject this term. Perhaps I should ask Professor Flitwick if he could co-teach Defense Against the Dark Arts with Professor McGonagal in your stead?"

Snape's eyes slightly widened. Dumbledore knew that he wanted the position of DADA professor badly enough that he would be willing to push his personal feelings aside and make the sacrifice and he was right. "No, Albus. That will not be necessary. I am sure I can rearrange my schedule to accommodate the needs of Miss Potter." But the sour look on his face made it clear that he wasn't happy about it.

"Thank you Severus." Then Dumbledore dropped another bomb, "It's nice to know how thrilled you are to help because I've also decided that you will fill in as interim Watcher for Ava until a suitable one can be acquired."

Snape's jaw dropped, McGonagall smirked and a chorus of "What?" "No way!" and "Not him!" came from the shocked trio but Dumbledore cut them all off. "He's the perfect choice. I've made my decision and I expect everything I've said in this room to remain a secret between the eight of us. Now it's time for breakfast. I hear the kitchen elves have made cinnamon buns this morning."


	7. Chapter 7

_**Notes:**_

_I had to change the summary as I could tell the whole Celine Dion/Heart thing was going to be a problem. I must say that I did listen to the original version by Heart and there was a whole different feeling to it and even though it was the same words, it just didn't seem to fit with my story._

**Chapter 7**

The night before Ava had been shown to what was to be her room while she stayed at the castle. She had followed Dumbledore down so many winding staircases she was starting to get dizzy. She hadn't remembered going up so many flights from the ground floor to his office so they must have been going farther down than that and by the way the air was getting colder she could only imagine how unpleasantly chilly her room would be. Finally when she felt like she couldn't take one more staircase they arrived at a wooden door with copper trimming that looked like it had serpents carved into it but it was too dark to see it clearly.

"Since this is to be your room, Ava, you must choose the password and we will be the only two to know it. I will tap the knocker three times with my wand and then you must speak the word you wish to use," Dumbledore told her. Ava nodded her head in understanding and said the first thing that came to mind after his three taps. "Endure," she blurted out. It was the best and last advice Jonah had given her. Dumbledore raised his eyebrows but didn't question her, thankfully. When the door opened, he bid her goodnight and told her that she would be sent for early in the morning. Upon entering the room Ava was pleasantly surprised that her trepidation of it's interior was completely unfounded. There was fireplace but the room was just as warm as Dumbledore's office had been. Soft candlelight illuminated every corner of the stonewalled room and the mahogany furniture was nicely accented by dark green velvet that covered everything from the bedspread to the heavy drapes. The room wasn't large and the four-poster bed took up most of it but there was still enough space for a writing desk, a chair and an armoire for her belongings. Another door to the left she knew would contain a private bathroom. Not bothering to unpack her bag, she tossed it onto the chair and crashed onto the bed fully clothed. In minutes, she was in a fitful sleep.

* * *

Jonah had sometimes joked that slayers slept with one 'ear' open and never was that more useful than when they were being tracked by the Bringers. Thanks to them she had gotten plenty of practice in waking up ready to fight so when a soft 'crack' sound came from inside her own room early that morning Ava eyes flew wide open. She immediately threw herself into a backwards somersault on top of the bed and landed in a low crouching position on the soft sheets with her hand near the small dagger strapped by her ankle. Her battle-hardened green eyes scanned the room but found no threat. Then small, gray and pointed ears appeared over the edge of the bed followed by large, frightened brown eye 

"Please don't hurt Nissy. She's only a house-elf that was sent to wake up the new Miss and give her a map of the castle," came the little voice.

Ava honestly felt bad for scaring the pathetic creature so badly and she relaxed her posture until she was sitting bow-legged on the bed. Assuming the house-elf had been referring to herself she attempted to soothe her, "I'm sorry, Nissy. I didn't mean to frighten you. I was just having a bad dream, that's all." Unfortunately, that wasn't a lie. She often had nightmares about the Bringers but this dream had been different. They had had eyes this time and they looked like snake eyes, yellow and piercing straight into her soul. She mentally shuddered and decided that she liked the eyeless bad guys better.

Nissy long fingers crept onto the bedspread and deposited the map she had mentioned. Ava picked it up and pretended to be studying it while she snuck glimpses of Nissy who was now cautiously making her way towards the drapes. House-elves were definitely the strangest creatures she had ever seen and Ava had seen many odd things so that was saying a lot. When Nissy pulled the cord on the plush, green drapes the entire room was changed. Ava had been wrong about her room being underground; it was actually under water. The entire room was bathed in a soft, shimmering yellowy-green light that gave the impression that she-herself was underwater. She wasn't too far under the surface because she could see the sun like a ball of fire rising into the sky and it's rays created moving lines of light on the walls.

Having sufficiently done her duty, Nissy came back to the bedside. "Headmaster Dumbledore would like to see you in his office as soon as you are ready, Miss." With that, Nissy gave a quick curtsy and with the same 'crack' that had woken Ava up, the little elf completely disappeared.

She had longed to take a relaxing soak in the beautiful claw foot bathtub but instead she had quickly showered and dressed. The map made it very easy to find the headmaster's office and after a night's rest, it didn't seem as far away is it had before. After being introduced to the two professors in the office who had obviously already been filled in on her background, she had had the surreal experience of seeing her twin face to face for the first time. Ava hadn't known how to act or what to say so she just hadn't said anything. She didn't want Harry to continue thinking they were going to have a close relationship, it just wasn't possible given the life that was chosen for her but she didn't know how to make that clear without hurting his feelings. She decided that her game plan would be to avoid him as much as possible.

Now she was sitting in the great hall after being shown to a chair at the end of the professor's table. The room lived up to it's name and she couldn't help gazing around in awe, especially at the ceiling where puffy white clouds covered most of the blue sky. The wood on the table she was seated at was scrubbed to such a high polish she could see her on reflection in it and she sighed. She would have no problem appearing older than she was, her face looked tired and her eyes looked cloudy like a person who had seen too much for her age. The students began to drift in, pointing her out to their friends as they noticed her until every student in the school was seated and staring at her, curiosity plainly shown on every face. On the rare occasion when she had actually been in a crowd, she had been able to blend in to the background so as not to call attention to herself. Learning this skill had been essential to her training as a slayer and helped immensely to identify and stalk vampires without them realizing she was there. And now she was sitting at the front of the room with the attention of a couple hundred people and Ava couldn't have felt more out of place if she tried.

Dumbledore stood up and cleared his throat, briefly diverting all the eyes in the room to himself, "Before we eat this morning I have a small announcement. As you have noticed, we have a new face here at Hogwarts. Ava Emerson has just graduated from the Salem Academy of Magical Education and has come to Hogwarts as an apprentice professor to observe and assist Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall with the Defense Against the Dark Arts classes. Not only is she at a new school but she is in a new country and I trust you will all make her feel welcome here." He paused to throw a smile her way and she tried to reciprocate but she was still getting over the surprise of him using Jonah's last name as her own. "Let's eat!" the headmaster announced before raising his glass. Trays piled high with breakfast foods of all kinds, some she couldn't even recognize, appeared on all the long tables. Most of the students directed their attention to filling their stomachs but some still stared at her intently, including one boy about her age with hair so light, it practically glowed. He said something to the larger boy sitting next to him and Ava tried to use her slayer-enhanced hearing to make it out but the only words she could hear above the din of clinking flatware was 'pure blood' which just left her more puzzled. The smell of the food filled her nose and her stomach rumbled. She had completely forgotten when the last time she ate was but all of a sudden it felt like years and she went about filling her plate. She kept her head down so she would become less interesting to anybody still watching her.

Back at the trio's table, Ron was noticing Draco's interest in Ava as well, "Look out Harry, even Malfoy's checking out Ava. Wouldn't he just die if he knew she was your sister?" he whispered.

"If Malfoy even goes near my sister, I'll put a hex on him that will send him to the infirmary for a week," Harry whispered back through gritted teeth. He didn't mention that that same hex would also be used on any of the Gryffindor boys that were also talking about the new arrival like she was a piece of meat.

Hermione leaned closer to them, "Watch it guys, we're not suppose to know her remember? Try to act like it or you might call attention to us."

"Oh yeah, you're right," Ron agreed. "Oi Seamus! The new chick is hot right?" he announced loudly.

"Yeah! Wicked hot!" Seamus replied, laughing as the two boys reached across the table to high five each other.

Harry who had been taking a drink of pumpkin juice slammed his cup back on the table with a scowl on his face and the students nearby stopped eating to look at him.

"What's your problem, mate?" Seamus demanded.

Hermione kicked him under the table and Harry quickly collected himself, "Nothing. Just realized we have Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts with Snape today. Rotten luck."

Immediately, the mood at the table plummeted as the new girl was forgotten and the students began to brood to one another about the unfair decision Dumbledore had made to give Snape two classes where he could torture them and praise the Slytherins.

"That was close, Harry," Hermione spoke quietly to him. "I don't care if Malfoy is snogging Ava in the hallway, you have to control your temper so you don't blow her cover."

"I know, I know! It will help a lot if you don't use my sister and snogging together in a sentence again, k? Listen, I forgot my potions book back in my room. I'll meet you two in class." With that Harry was gone and out the large double doors following the other students who had only the time to grab a quick muffin off the table this morning.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Notes:**_

_Apachep: I don't know about a Ron/Ava pairing. I really like the idea of Ron/Hermione because of the opposites attract rule. I do want a pairing though and I'm playing around with one in my head. Thank you for your reviews._

_Allen Pitt: I'm currently thinking of not bringing in the BtVS characters into the story besides in reference. I'm glad you like the idea of Snape being her watcher though. They should have an interesting relationship._

**Chapter 8**

A few minutes ago Ava had been starving but after only a few bites off her plate she was finished with it. She hadn't been eating much recently and her stomach seemed to have shrunk. Nobody had told her what she was to do after breakfast and even though she saw some kids leaving the hall, including Harry, she had nowhere to go so she stayed in her seat and pushed her leftover food around on her plate with her fork. 

A few minutes later she saw the dark robes of Professor Snape coming closer out of the corner of her eye. He leaned down near Ava's ear and when he spoke his voice was almost a harsh growl, "Meet Professor McGonagall in the Defense Against the Dark Arts office promptly. You have an errand to run." And then he was off, briskly making his way towards the exit. 

Ava began to fume silently. She couldn't believe that Professor Dumbledore had picked him to be her temporary watcher. He obviously didn't know anything about slayers or he wouldn't have picked the fight with her back in the headmaster's office. Even if she did need a temporary watcher, it's not like she would learn anything from the mean, pale-faced man anyway. She was still angry when she turned her head to see the blonde boy looking at her with interest again and she didn't realize her eyes still held the coldness of her thoughts. He seemed offended and glared back at her before unfolding his tall body from the bench and stalking off, his larger friend hurrying to keep up. Ava sighed, she hadn't even been here a full day and she had already managed to piss off two people.

She pushed her chair back in a huff and got up from the table, watching with awe as her half-empty plate seemed to sink back into the surface. On the other side of the double doors, Ava reached into her pocket and pulled out the map. She was amused to see that wherever she was when she opened the map a little circle would appear with the words 'You Are Here' next to it. Locating the DADA rooms on it, she began to make her way down the hall. Just as she was about to turn a corner to get to the stairs she head an angry voice.

"I don't care if she's a pure-blood or a mud-blood, who does she think she is to glare at me that way. Doesn't she know that I'm a Malfoy?"

Ava slowly peeked around the corner and saw the tall, blonde haired boy again ranting about her to the boy that had been sitting next to him at breakfast and another pudgy friend. So she hadn't misheard him at breakfast and he_ had _said 'pure-blood' when she was watching him at the table. She wondered what it meant.

They were starting to move off down the hall but she could still hear him, "I can have my father get her sent right back to her own country. Imagine, bringing an American to apprentice here at Hogwarts. The standards really are slipping here and I'm contemplating having my father transfer me to Durmstrang for a quality education. He's offered, you know."

She could tell that he was the head of their little group by the way the other two boys nodded and mumbled agreements at everything he said like lap dogs. His pretentious voice was beginning to grate on her nerves but luckily it was fading into the distance. The last thing she heard before they were too far away was, "I'll have to find out what her blood status is. If she's a mud blood, I'll transfer, I swear."

After they were gone, Ava went around the corner and up the stairs towards the office. As she went she contemplated how unfair it was that she was to be judged on what the Malfoy boy had called her "blood status." She didn't even know what that meant let alone what hers was.

When she reached the office she knocked softly on the door and after a few seconds it was opened by Professor McGonagall. "Hello again, Ava," She pointed her wand at a small chalk board by the door and the words 'Private tutoring session. Please come back later' appeared there. "Come in, Come in. We have something important to do and not much time to do it." Ava followed her in to the office and waited as she locked the door behind them. The room was filled with fascinating objects and she longed to get a closer look at the three-headed figure in the fish tank that almost resembled a frog but it would have to wait. The professor pressed some white powder into her hand and said, "OK, now I want you to throw this powder into the fireplace, say 'Diagon Alley' and step into the flames quickly."

Ava took a quick step back, "What?"

She got a shove toward the fireplace, "Oh for heavens sake child! It's transportation. Just do it. It's magic and the flames won't harm you. Once you get there, don't move. I'll be right behind you." And then she was given another little shove so she did what she was told. When the green flames burst into the fireplace, she took a deep breath, stated her intended location and stepped in." For about ten seconds the world was a spinning black mess but then she popped out of it and landed with her butt in the dirt on a busy street. A few people passing by looked at her curiously but then went about their business again. As she was picking herself up off the ground and brushing the soot off her clothes McGonagall appeared stepping gracefully out of the fireplace that was set into the wall outside of a store. She had never seen a fireplace on the outside of a building before but then again, there were a lot of things she had never seen in the last few hours.

As McGonagall took a hold of her elbow to lead her away she couldn't help but ask the question she'd been dying to answer since she had overheard the boys talking, "Professor McGonagall, what's a mudblood?"

The older woman's face remained composed with her eyes looking straight ahead as they walked and her voice was calm, "Where did you hear that word? Did somebody call you that?"

"No, not really. I overheard a few boys in the hallways discussing my blood status. They didn't know I was there. Is it something bad?" 

They had stopped outside the store and the professor didn't seem to want to go in until the conversation had finished so they hovered near the door. "Well, that would depend on who you asked," she answered her. "If the boys you overheard are the ones I'm assuming they are, then yes, it would be considered a very bad thing. But to most wizards, it is not and they won't treat you any differently because of it."

The professor reached for the door and Ava knew that the conversation was over. She would probably have to ask Harry about their lineage. The store they entered was dimmer than she expected and it took a minute for her eyes to adapt. What light that shined through the dingy windows revealed numerous specks of dust floating in it and she could see shelves lining most of the walls. For a minute she thought they must be in a bookstore but then her eyes adjusted to the lack of light and she realized that it wasn't books that sat on all those shelves but rows and rows of little brown boxes.

"Hello?" Professor McGonagall called out. "Mr. Ollivander?"

A second later a bespectacled, old man stepped out of the back room. "My apologies if you've waited long." He cleaned the dust off his glasses with his shirt and placed them back on his nose. "Ah professor! What a surprise. I don't usually see Hogwarts staff in here after the term starts."

"Well, this is a special trip," she replied. "We have a new apprentice, you see. This is Ava Emerson and she's our new apprentice from America." 

The old man nodded a greeting to her, "What can I do for you today, Ms Emerson?"

Ava didn't know what to say. She didn't even know what they were there for nor what was inside all those little boxes on the shelves. Luckily, the professor didn't leave much time for her to stand there dumbly, "Well, unfortunately, her wand was broken beyond repair during her trip so she will need a replacement."

He turned to her again, "That is quite unfortunate. May I ask what happened to it?"

Ava thought quickly, "It fell on the train tracks and the train just ran right over it. Bam!" She emphasized by smashing one hand into the other. "Like that. Smashed it all to pieces."

McGonagall gave her an annoyed look, "Well, I don't think the demonstration was necessary but yes, the damage was unrecoverable."

He nodded in understanding, "Let's get started then." He pulled a few boxes off the shelves and returned. Opening the first one he held it out for her, "Holly, 8 inches, with a hippogriff fur core." She did what she thought was expected and nodded with appreciation but he shook the opened box a little, "Go on give it a wave."

Ava made a mental note to also ask Harry what a hippogriff was later. She picked it up and waved it at a nearby chair with a pillow in it, which promptly exploded sending white feathers into the air. "I don't think that's right," she said, hastily placing it back in the box.

"No, no, what about this? Elm wood, 10 and one half inches with a salamander blood core"

Ava wrinkled her nose but took it anyway and pointed it at the same chair, which entirely disappeared. She gave that one back as well along with a sheepish apology which he waved off like it happened all the time.

It was ten wands later and many other inanimate objects in the room had met a similar fate. Professor McGonagall was still picking feathers out of her hair and clothes. Mr. Ollivander gazed at her for a moment with a look in his eye that she couldn't quite place. He took a ladder from the corner of the room and set it up against the shelf behind the counter, climbed all the way to the top, grabbed another box and came back down. He explained, "I keep some of the more powerful wands up there, it tends to deter thieves." He opened the box with a flourish to reveal the most beautiful wand that she had seen yet. It was pure, shiny black with a dangerous looking point. "Ebony wood, 11inches with a vampire fang core. Isn't it magnificent? This may be too powerful for you but it will give me a better gauge." 

Ava slowly reached her hand toward the box, her fingertips began to tingle and it seemed to increase the closer she got. By the time she carefully picked it up she swore she could actually hear the gentle hum of it. It seemed to be formed specifically for her own fingers, like an extention of her arm. She gave it a light wave and a shower of beautiful blue sparks cascaded from the tip. "This is it," she said breathlessly. 

"Yes, I can see that," he stated. "Quite curious. I didn't think that one would actually work... that's a very masculine wand for such a small girl."

Before he could ask any questions Professor McGonagall was taking money out of a coin purse. "Thank you ever so much, Mr. Ollivander. It was a pleasure doing business with you, as always. Come along, Ms. Emerson."

"Thank you Mr. Ollivander!" Ava barely had time to call over her shoulder before they were out the door and back into the busy street, her new wand in her hand.

A man leaning against the wall near the entrance to Knockturn Alley saw the pair come out of the shop. He wondered what a teacher was doing in Diagon Alley with a student while school was in session. He had been placed there to watch for anything interesting for three weeks and indeed this was the first thing that had caught his eye. In fact, it was highly unusual. He began to follow them discreetly from a distance, making sure he stayed close to the walls so as not to be noticed.

Meanwhile Ava decided to ask the older woman about something else that had been bothering her. She thought it was sweet of Dumbledore to give her Jonah's last name. She guessed it must be obvious that she was very close to him but hearing his last name all the time was like a little stab in the heart, a reminder that he wasn't here with her. She knew he would have wholeheartedly thrown himself into this new world, wanting to know everything about it. "Professor, plenty of people have the same last names, how come I can't just use-"

But she was cut off, "Shhhh, child!" McGonagall grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into the entrance of a quiet alley, slightly away from the busy street. "You can't say that name around any wizarding places without everybody in the nearby vicinity becoming interested in you and not in a good way. These are dangerous times, especially for your brother. Wizarding names are quite unique and they would know you were related somehow. It's essential that you use the name Dumbledore gave you. For your own good. Come along now, I have a class to teach." 

The cloaked man had fumbled with his wand and hadn't been able to cast the hearing enhancer charm fast enough. The only part he caught was the last three sentences but it was enough. There was something off about this student and he needed to tell his master what he had seen and heard. He kept following them until they disappeared into the fireplace and then it was his turn to leave.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Notes:**_

_Allen Pitt: I'm not thinking about a sequel yet. This story is tough enough but thank you for the idea and if this story turns out well I think that would provide a good storyline for a second one. I don't know how well I could write Whedon's characters though. His dialogue is a lot to live up to._

_Apachep: I really wanted to have Snape involved in her wizard training because I like the dynamic he provides but if her slayer identity wasn't a secret then Voldemort could use him to get at Ava and Harry. I gave her the apprentice identity because then other characters wouldn't question why they were spending time together. Also, I've seen some stories where Buffy is able to defeat Voldemort with her slayer abilities alone but Ava isn't as experienced as Buffy and while it is an advantage I don't know if she could actually defeat him without using magic if both universes were to actually cross. I wanted her to be able to delve into her wizard side before she became a target or had to take him on. Thanks for the question, I didn't mean to make it unclear._

**Chapter 9**

Hermione and Ron were seated at their favorite tree waiting for Harry. The trio had recently discovered it was the perfect place to sit and have a conversation without being heard because their backs were facing the lake and they could monitor the long stretch of grass in front of them allowing them to see any newcomers well in advance. They had finished their potions class with Snape and were enjoying the break in between classes before they had to go sit through Defense Against the Dark Arts with the Slytherins. The early Autumn day was warm and slightly breezy and both the light jackets they had brought just in case lay abandoned beside their book bags. 

"I wonder where he is." Ron queried Hermione. He was leaning with his back up against the tree, a long piece of grass dangled from his lips and one arm was propped against his bent leg. It was a pose of pure relaxation and it was meant to cover the fact that he was worried about his friend. Harry had been acting odd ever since he had found out about Ava and he wasn't confiding in his best friends like he usually did. Ron wished they had had more of chance to talk to him about what was going on and now would be the perfect time if only he would show up.

"I know where he is." Hermione was cross-legged and bent over her Potions homework that they had just received not ten minutes ago.

"Care to fill me in?"

"If I'm right, which I usually am, he went to go look for Ava. I know he was expecting to see her sitting in on Potions this morning. Don't you think it's driving him crazy that he hasn't been able to talk to his twin sister that he just found out existed?"

Ron marveled at how Hermione could do her homework and hold a conversation at the same time. It took all his attention just to do one of those tasks. "Yeah, I guess he must have a million questions for her. Though there's something to be said about knowing too much about one's sister. If I have to watch Ginny flirt with Harry one more time when they think I'm not looking my head is going to explode. Do you think he found her? He's been gone a while and he promised to meet us here before class."

"She's in McGonagall's office. I overheard Cho complaining that she need to ask her a question but her office has been shut for a private tutoring session all morning." Hermione set the parchment she had been working on aside and her face became very serious. She looked at him intently, "Listen, Ron. I need to talk to you about Harry and Ava. I think he's really going to get hurt-"

Ron cut her off before she could finish, "Harry's coming." He threw the piece of grass away and straightened up.

Hermione looked up and saw that she had a few more seconds before Harry was in hearing range, "I'm going to bring it up to Harry and I want you to help me."

But Harry was walking faster than she anticipated and he was upon them before Ron could give her a reply. "Hey guys!" He plopped down on the grass next to Hermione and noticed the parchment and quill on the ground. "Potions homework already? Good, you can help me with mine later." He smiled good-naturedly but it was obvious that he was covering for being frustrated at not finding Ava.

"Erm…. Yeah." Hermione pushed the homework a little farther away out of nervousness. "Harry, we wanted to talk to you about something."

It wasn't easy to pry Hermione away from her homework so he gave her his full attention, "Sure 'Mione. What's up?"

She fidgeted with the hem of her pants and avoided his eyes, "It's just… well… I've been reading that book Dumbledore had you give to me and it was the journal of a watcher. You know, they train the slayers…" He nodded so she continued, "Anyway, he says that slayers should be brought up to not care about their families. They're conditioned to block them out of their minds and just concentrate on honing their abilities to fight. He says that it should be easier for them to do that because of the dark magic that was used to create the slayer line…" She faltered when she noticed that Harry's eyes had gone dark, a sure sign that he was mad. She looked to Ron for help but he was staring at her like she had just polyjuiced herself into a cat again. She instantly tried to appease Harry, "I'm sorry… I just… I just don't want you to be upset if your sister is… hard to talk to."

Hermione and Ron practically hurt their necks watching Harry stand up so fast. He faced them both with his hands clenched in anger and exploded his mornings frustrations at them, "You don't know what you're talking about Hermione! She's my family, not some random guy's job and there's no reason why she wouldn't want to be my sister. Of course she'll want to get to know me, we're all we have left in the world! You don't know what it's like to not have a family so stop acting like you know more about my own sister than I do!" With an angry swipe, he picked his bag up off the grass, leaving a smashed imprint.

"Wait Harry! Please don't go! I didn't mean-" But Harry ignored her pleas and turned his back, stomping off in obvious fury. In shock they both watched him leave. "Well, that didn't go so well," Hermione lamented, looking down at her own hands in disappointment.

"Ya think?" Ron asked, sarcastically. "Which part would you say pissed him off more? The part where you suggested his sister was evil or the part where she wanted nothing to do with him? Oh yeah, and thanks for adding 'we' in the beginning of your little speech there… that was really great Hermione. I had no idea you were going to do that but now he's going to be mad at me too! Really… thanks a lot! Just bloody brilliant!" 

Hermione let him vent at her because she knew she deserved it but when he was done she tried to assuage him, "Ron, I'm really sorry. I wanted to talk to you about it before but Harry showed up. I really think I'm right though and you have to listen to me! I'm sure Ava is going to rebuff Harry and you know he's going to take it really hard. The two of us can't be fighting because we're going to need to be there for him to lean on. I don't want this to be like the Tri-Wizard tournament when we weren't speaking to each other. Please Ron?"

It was very rare that Hermione begged him for anything so even though he was still mad at her, he decided to take her seriously. Besides, he didn't want her to start crying like she usually did when somebody was mad at her. He hated that. "Ok, I get it. But you can't just include me in stuff I know nothing about." 

He was weakening and Hermione nodded enthusiastically in the hopes of winning him over completely. "I am really sorry." She then noticed the time on the clock tower, "Oh crap! We're going to be late for DADA!" she exclaimed and hurriedly began collecting her belongings.

Ron started putting his things together too but when he looked at the time for himself he noticed they still had ten minutes and rolled his eyes. Hermione's idea of being late was not arriving five minutes early.

* * *

Harry was still mad when he arrived uncommonly early to their next class but it was forgotten when he saw Ava sitting in a chair in the corner, her wand twirling in her fingers like a drumstick. Professor Snape was in the front of the classroom getting some things together and wasn't paying attention so Harry took advantage of the opportunity.

"Hey," he said casually, going to stand next to her chair. He leaned against the wall facing her and hoping she wouldn't tell him to go away.

"Oh, hey," she replied. Her eyes did a sweep of the room and seeing that nobody was there she looked up and gave him a small, rare smile that somehow never reached her eyes. The truth was she was nervous about sitting in on her first class and she didn't need the distraction of Harry on top. 

Encouraged nonetheless, he motioned to her hands, "You probably shouldn't do that. You might curse somebody on accident… though, I wouldn't mind seeing Snape getting turned into a cockroach." His joke awarded him a sheepish half-smile and he felt a small tug in his chest when it reminded him of a picture of his mother that he had in the photo album Hagrid had given to him. "That's a really nice wand. Is that where you went today?"

She considered the small wooden stick in her hand, mentally comparing it to a stake. "Yeah, I guess it's okay. Kind of hard to jam it through a vampire's heart but not impossible." She made little staking motions with the sharp end but immediately stopped when she noticed he was looking slightly appalled that she would even consider using her wand in that way. She finally realized her blunder in underestimating the connection between a wizard and his wand. She must have looked like an idiot to Mr. Ollivander for letting hers get broken in such a careless way and then rambling about it. "Don't worry," she said to reassure him, "I have actual stakes for that." Ava gestured to her seemingly innocent book bag. "This wand is for hexing only. No staking. Promise."

An uncomfortable silence fell over them and Ava silently hoped that somebody else would come in so she could have an excuse to make him go away. Not taking the hint Harry racked his brain for a question he could ask that was innocent enough for their location, "So… umm… Did you like Diagon Alley?"

"Yeah! I mean, it was cool. A little crazy. I wish I had been able to see more of it. That bank looked huge!" She let herself get caught up in the moment remembering the fascinating street.

Harry was relieved he had finally found a subject that peaked her interest and agreed, "You should see it from the inside. It's amazing but I still get a little intimidated by the goblins when I go visit my vault…." Harry trailed off, hearing his own blunder. He wondered if his sister knew that their parents had erased all memory of her existence and had left all they had owned to him alone. He knew how badly it would hurt him if their roles were switched and he was the one taken away at birth. He quickly glanced at her to see if she looked upset but her expression never changed. Then he remembered what Hermione had said about slayers being trained not to care about their families and he briefly wondered if there was any truth to that but as quickly as it had occurred to him he pushed the thought away. He didn't want to believe that someone so closely related to him could be that cold and unfeeling.

By this time, a few students were drifting in. Ron and Hermione were among the first and they had immediately sat down in their seats. Ron had almost waved, but Hermione had slapped his hand down and both of them were now sneaking looks in the sibling's direction. 

"Well, I should…" Harry jerked his thumb in the direction of his friends.

"Yeah…" she agreed, silently relieved. Students were already staring in their direction, including the Malfoy boy, though every time she caught him looking he immediately turned away, his nose sticking slightly in the air and a haughty look on his face.

"Talk to you later?" Harry asked. 

The question appeared casual to anybody looking on but it created a heaviness in the air between them and she knew he was hinting at a discussion that was years overdue. Though she wasn't looking forward to it, Ava knew it was inevitable. "Sure, why not," was her equally nonchalant reply.


	10. Chapter 10

**_Notes:_**

_The Ghora demons are part of the Buffyverse and I did not create them. Once again, just borrowing._

_Allen Pitt: Thank you for your review. I think it subconsciously helped me write this chapter. After I wrote it, I went back and read your review and realized it addressed some of those issues. I hope you like it._

**Chapter 10**

Harry sat down next to his two best friends but didn't say a word to them. He thought briefly about rubbing it in Hermione's nose that he had been able to talk to Ava without her walking off or ignoring him but he immediately felt bad thinking that way about his friend. Deep down he knew Hermione only had his best interests at heart even if he knew she was wrong. He couldn't say anything to her about it anyway because the entire 6th year Gryffindor and Slytherin population were now sitting in their seats waiting for class to start and talking in small groups and he didn't want to risk being overheard.

"Pretty pathetic, don't you think, Potter?" Draco Malfoy had turned around from his own seat in front of them to sneer at his nemesis. "You think that just because you're the famous Harry Potter that any girl will just fall at your feet?"

Harry's face was turning an angry shade of red and Hermione tried to diffuse him, "Just ignore him, Harry."

"I wasn't talking to you, filth," Draco spat back at her. His expression became falsely angelic, "Besides, I was only trying to help little Harry out before he made an even bigger arse of himself in front of the entire school."

"What are you going on about, Malfoy?" Harry asked, shooting daggers with his eyes, his hands itching to grab his wand and make Draco sorry he'd opened his mouth at all.

"I saw you talking to the new girl. She didn't look too interested in you. In fact, she looked bored to tears." Draco's eyes wandered to Ava's form, "Besides, she looks like the kind of girl who needs a real man," he finished smugly.

"And I suppose you mean yourself?" Hermione said through snorting laughter. "The only thing man-sized about you is your ego."

A couple of the Gryffindor students in the surrounding chairs laughed and Draco looked like he was about to jump over the desk and strangle the life out of Hermione. Ron and Harry tensed up their muscles, ready to attack back but thankfully the whole scene was cut short by the icily deep tones of Professor Snape. "Quiet, all of you" he commanded.

Severus Snape had known the second that Ava stepped into his classroom that day. Without looking up he had known she had been standing uncertainly in the doorway but he chose to ignore her completely and go about the task of preparing for the lesson. After a minute or so he heard her sit in one of the chairs in the back of the room. He found it hard to look at the new addition to the school. Everything about her reminded him of Lily Potter and it was almost like she had risen from the dead. Everything, that is, except her infuriatingly dark hair that matched James and Harry's hair color so perfectly. It had been like a taunting stab in his heart when she had walked into Dumbledore's office that morning. To add insult to injury, she had displayed the same cavalierly offensive attitude as the Potter males as well. He was infuriated that the headmaster had decided to not only make him help tutor the willful girl in magic but also be her watcher. As if he didn't have enough on his plate at the moment he had to go about learning how to be a watcher.

Severus had heard the entire exchange between Draco and the trio and though he didn't mind seeing Harry's pride get knocked down a peg or two he supposed he should stop it before it got out of hand and he had to levitate someone to the infirmary. Facing his unruly class, he called them to order and he felt the small twinge of pleasure that he always felt when he commanded a room of students to attention. Teaching was the only aspect of his life that still gave him any joy whatsoever. He would never let anyone know that although he suspected Albus already did.

With all eyes facing toward the front he began that day's lecture in his usual flat droll, "Today we will be learning about The Ghora Demon. Does anybody know what the Ghora Demon is?" As per usual Ms. Granger's hand shot high in the air but he chose to see it. "No? Shocking." He raised his wand toward a white screen and said, "Prodeo Ghora." Instantly a picture of the demon appeared on it. "As you can see the Ghora demon is of the amphibious variety. Its' three heads make it useful as a guardian, though it can be very hard to train. A wild Ghora demon will use it's heads to guard it's own eggs." As he continued to talk about the cave dwellings of the creatures he noticed that instead of paying attention to his lecture, Ava was studying her nails. Apparently she was a know-it-all like her brother who didn't think listening in his class was worth the time of day. He decided to teach her the same lesson he had taught Harry in his first year. "Ms. Emerson, as a welcome to the class, would you like to tell them how one would dispatch this demon if necessary?"

Ava's eyes shot open at being singled out while the students all turned to look at her in one single wave. Of course Jonah had gone over Ghora demons with her and she knew the answer, "Decapitation, sir."

"Decapitation…." The professor slowly repeated as if it was the lamest answer ever.

Ava knew she was right though and she defended her answer, "I think people would be surprised at how many demons can be 'dispatched' by decapitation."

Snape smirked, "Though I'm sure that's true in theory, you misunderstand my confusion Ms. Emerson. The creature has three heads, decapitation is the obvious course of action."

"I didn't think it was that obvious," Ron whispered to Harry, just loud enough to be heard by the other nearby students who silently nodded their heads in agreement while they watched the scene in front of them.

Snape continued, "What I was asking you for was the mode d'operandi, in other words, the specific spell you would use to accomplish such a task but since you clearly don't know it, I think I will let the ever eager Ms. Granger inform you."

Now it was Hermione's turn to be surprised at being singled out, as she was use to Professor Snape routinely avoiding letting her answer questions. "Abscido ter," she said, looking apologetically at Harry's sister who just shrugged in return.

The professor looked almost annoyed, "Correct."

The class continued with Ava glaring at Professor Snape the entire time. At the end, all the students were assigned to write a paper on the other positive attributes of the Ghora demon. She watched as the teenagers packed up their bags and drifted out towards the Great Hall for lunch. A few of them looked like they were going to stop and talk to her but she busied herself with her own things until they passed. Ava decided she had a bone to pick with Professor Snape so she was making her way past the desks while digging in her book bag for her newly acquired wand when she ran into another body, sending the bag to the floor with some of it's contents. "Sorry," she muttered bending to pick up her stuff starting with a wayward stake that had rolled towards the person's big black boot. The boot lifted up and trapped the stake just as her hand reached for it and she looked up the length of the body to find none other than Draco Malfoy's face wearing his trademark smug expression. She gathered everything but the stake, stood up and crossed her arms, "You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

He ignored her question, "What's with the thick wand thing?" he asked rolling the stake under his foot.

"It's not a wand thing," she scoffed, "It's just a piece of wood."

"Well then, what's with the piece of wood?"

Ava thought fast, "I whittle in my spare time to relax. It's a hobby... a really lame hobby and I don't see how it's any of your business." Ava inwardly cringed. 'Whittle? Seriously?' she thought to herself. "What do you want?" she asked mostly to change the topic.

"I saw you talking to Potter earlier and I just thought I'd be a good friend and let you know who to hang with around here. That prat and his equally boring friends are not it. Tell me, Ava Emerson, are your parents affluent in the wizarding communities of America? I've never heard that name before."

This was a conversation that was way over her head and she could only hope her answers wouldn't reveal it. She decided the best way to deal with Malfoy was to act even smugger than he was. She tossed her long, dark hair over her shoulder and did her best to look offended, "Of course they are. Obviously you know nothing about wizards in the states if you've never heard it."

He moved his face a little closer to hers, "So both your parents are wizards then?"

Didn't everybody here at Hogwards have wizards for parents? Could a non-wizard even have a wizard child? Was the Malfoy boy smarter then he looked and could this be some kind of trap? She didn't know the answers to these questions and decided to play it safe. Putting on her best haughty expression she replied, "Of course they are. Aren't yours?"

He bent down to pick up the stake and handed it to her with a smile on his face, "The Malfoy name is synonymous with wizard. You would do well to remember that when you're picking out friends in this school."

"Yeah, thanks," she said sarcastically. Ava tried to go around him but he put his hands down on the tops of the desks on either side of them and became a human roadblock. He was towering over her menacingly and she didn't like it one bit. She was just about to take his hand and forcefully move it out of her way when she mentally stopped herself. She had to appear as weak as any other girl her size would be.

"I'm serious," he said. "Who you choose to align yourself with now will define you. Don't you want to be on the right side?"

She looked into his grave face and didn't know how to answer. Luckily, Professor Snape chose that moment to reappear on the balcony of the DADA office. "Ms. Emerson, please come in here. I need to have a word with you." She imagined this would be the only situation where she would be relieved to see him.

Her eyes locked with Draco's and she saw he was still expecting an answer from her. "Could you please move aside?" She asked him.

Reluctantly, he did so. "Just remember what I said," he told her as she passed by him.


End file.
